Top tips for keeping your home healthy this winter

Kiwi homes are notoriously cold and drafty, and although the Healthy Homes Initiative is making a positive impact, for many New Zealanders winter still features weeping windows, mouldy clothes and eye-watering heating bills.

Keen to stay cozy without breaking the bank? Here are the top four issues you need to tackle:

A damp home is not only bad for your bank balance but also your respiratory system, so sorting condensation should be your first step. There are so many ways moisture gets into our homes. Did you know that cooking can add up to 3L of moisture a day, and showers and baths contribute up to 1.5L a day per person? Worse still, up to 40L a day can evaporate up from the ground through our floors. So, check under your house for dampness, fix drainage, guttering, downpipe or plumbing problems, and consider covering the ground with heavy-grade polythene.

• Dry clothes outside on fine days and use the fastest spin speed on your washing machine to reduce drying time.
• Cover your pots when you’re cooking to stop steam escaping.
• Hang Damp Rid coat hangers in your wardrobe to remove moisture.
• Say goodbye to weeping windows with a Scoopy condensation squeegee.
• Indoor plants add ambience, but they also increase condensation, so rein in your plant population during the coldest months.

We have more to thank Germany for than beer and Birkenstocks. Lüften is their practice of opening all the windows for a short burst every day to boost air quality, reduce moisture and prevent mould. It may seem counter-intuitive when temperatures are plummeting, but five to ten minutes of intense ventilation each day will refresh the air without giving walls and floors time to cool down. Incorporate Lüften into your daily routine and your home and health will thank you for it.

• If you have a bedroom ceiling fan, switch the direction of the blades to clockwise to draw warmer air down from the ceiling and redistribute it throughout the room.
• Be strategic about opening and closing doors to maximise airflow – shut the doors to rooms you rarely use but open the doors between frequently occupied spaces.
• Use extractor fans in bathrooms and kitchens – just make sure they’re vented outside.

A whopping 42% of heat is lost through our ceilings, and another 10% through our floors. Prioritise ceiling and underfloor insulation before ticking off these more affordable hacks.

• Block off drafts. Stock up on door snakes, tighten door hinges and window latches, replace stays, or tape vinyl strips along the inside of your window frames to improve the seals.
• Heavy, well-fitted curtains make a big difference. According to Energywise.govt.nz good curtains can slash heat loss by up to 60%, just make sure you close them before sundown.
• Double glazing is game changing, but it doesn’t come cheap. If you’re on a budget, try DIY window film.
• Warm up tiles and wooden floors with rugs. Check out Trade Me and Facebook Marketplace for bargains, or head to your local carpet shop for discounted offcuts.
• Add an extra layer of thermal mass by covering your walls with artwork, mirrors and bookshelves.

According to the World Health Organisation, the temperature of our homes should be at least 16ºC in our bedrooms and 18ºC in our living areas, which means that good heating is essential in the winter months. First up, ensure your existing heating is well maintained and functioning efficiently. If you have a fireplace clean your chimney at the start of every winter, and if you’ve got a heat pump, vacuum the filter every three months to maintain peak performance (and while you’re at it, vacuum the lint filter in your clothes dryer to reduce running costs).

• If you use an electric heater, get one with a thermostat or buy a plug-in timer.
• To help reduce condensation, use low levels of heat all the time rather than high levels in short bursts.
• Reposition your furniture, especially beds, away from external walls
• Keep beds warm with wheat bags or hot water bottles, or go for full body warmth with electric blankets (which, contrary to popular belief, are not expensive to run – in fact according to Consumer NZ using your electric blanket every night will cost just over $10 per winter!)

This story is from the Winter 2025 issue of AA Directions magazine.